Cationic Poly-L-Lysine-Fe2O3/SiO2 nanoparticles loaded with small interference RNA: Application to silencing gene expression in primary rat neurons

J Nanosci Nanotechnol. 2014 Apr;14(4):2810-5. doi: 10.1166/jnn.2014.8554.

Abstract

The cationic PLL-Fe2o3/SiO2-siRNA nanoparticles with an average crystallite size of about 20 nm were prepared and delivered into primary rat neurons for knockdown of gene expression. Primary rat fetal neurons were scratched to simulate the injury of central nervous system and then were transfected with PLL-Fe2O3/SiO2-siRNA nanoparticles. Optical microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and MTT assays were employed to test the cytotoxicity, the efficiency of encapsulation and targeted gene silencing. The results indicated that the PLL-Fe2O3/SiO2-siRNA nanoparticles have a remarkable efficiency of encapsulation and targeted gene silencing with negligible cytotoxicity. It could be concluded that the PLL-Fe2O3/SiO2 nanoparticles are a promising delivery carrier of siRNA.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cations
  • Cell Death
  • Cell Membrane Permeability
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Female
  • Ferric Compounds / chemistry*
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Gene Silencing*
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Neurons / cytology
  • Neurons / metabolism*
  • Polylysine / chemistry*
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Silicon Dioxide / chemistry*
  • X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

  • Cations
  • Ferric Compounds
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • ferric oxide
  • Polylysine
  • Silicon Dioxide